BLU Announces State Network To Advance Business-Driven Skills Policy In Key States

BLU Announces State Network To Advance Business-Driven Skills Policy In Key States

New network will push for policies in postsecondary education, workforce training, career and technical education that expand economic opportunities for workers and boost local businesses.

April 18, 2019

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Business Leaders United for Workforce Partnerships (BLU) today launched the Business Leaders United (BLU) State Affiliate Network. This network is a first-of-its-kind coalition of business and industry leaders who are committed to shaping and advancing skills policy solutions to meet the workforce needs of local businesses, reaching 15 states over the next two years.

With the support of the Ballmer Group and the J.P. Morgan Chase Foundation, and in partnership with the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives, BLU will collaborate with a network of lead organizations in each state – particularly local chambers of commerce – as well as NSC’s SkillSPAN (Skills State Policy Advocacy Network) to advance policies that deliver better results for local businesses and expand economic opportunities for workers and their families.

Key policy priorities include:

Expanding apprenticeship programs to allow workers to learn while they earn and build skills that grow their careers while meeting the workforces needs of businesses.

Extending financial aid to workers who seek high-quality, short-term training programs to improve their job and career prospects.

Investing in local partnerships between businesses, human services providers, and the workforce and education systems to develop more effective training, Career and Technical Education (CTE), and higher education policies.

Preparing workers for the Future of Work by investing in the skills training needed to re-skill and upskill workers today for the jobs of tomorrow.

Upskilling an entry-level workforce by working in partnership with local schools, community organizations, and community colleges to provide businesses with the infrastructure support they need to help entry-level workers grow and succeed.

Advancing policies that improve data systems and tools so that industry, policymakers, and the public know which programs provide workers the skills that industry demands.

“This BLU State Affiliate Network provides a great opportunity for business leaders to drive local workforce policy solutions that address the difficulty of hiring, training, and retaining skilled workers,” said Rob Garcia, Manager of Business Leaders United for Workforce Partnerships (BLU). “Drawing from the model of BLU’s federal policy efforts, these locally-based affiliates are uniquely positioned to impact skills policies in their states, and we look forward to supporting these organizationsas they lead this effort at the state level.”

This announcement comes at a critical time: Businesses are struggling to find trained workers to fill skilled positions. And workers want to see greater investment in skills training. The BLU State Affiliate Network will be a part of the solution to those challenges by advancing a skills policy agenda that delivers better results for local businesses and expands economic opportunities for workers and their families.

Click here to learn more about the BLU State Affiliate Network. For more information about the BLU state affiliate network, please contact Rob Garcia.